Rosmary Bunn just escaped the fire front at Western Distributor. Photo: Elise Searson
It was an eerie drive around Maloneys Beach this morning with some streets fully evacuated and others identified as ‘staying’ with bins out the front as suggested by RFS Deputy Incident Controller Ken Hall.
8:45 am – The majority of residents staying are eldery who have faith in the retreat offered by the beach close by.
Barry Murray is one of them, “I’m very nervous and there’s been a lot of preparation. Nature fires are very hard to beat but we’ll give it our best shot. I just can’t leave the house, a lot of old people just had to get out because they just couldn’t do anything.”
Barry broke down in tears speaking about the value of their sentiments. “It’s not so much the home it’s the things we can’t take.”
Barry and Jill Murray can’t bring themselves to leave their home in Maloneys Beach. Photo: Elise Searson
4:11 pm – Maloneys Beach residents still have a little time up their sleeve while South Durras is currently under ember attack and Nelligan is threatened by the Currowan, Palerang fire to the west near Braidwood.
“RESIDENTS OF NELLIGEN WHO ARE NOT PREPARED FOR IMPACT OF FIRE NOR PREPARED TO ACTIVELY DEFEND THEIR PROPERTIES SHOULD RELOCATE TO BATEMANS BAY TO THE EVACUATION CENTRE NOW. THERE IS LIKELY IMPACT INTO NELLIGEN AFFECTING THE KINGS HIGHWAY TO THE WEST WITHIN A FEW HOURS THIS AFTERNOON,” the Nelligen Rural Fire Service Facebook page screams.
Meantime, a thumbs up from Long Beach RFS who are reporting a favourable southerly on the way for Maloneys and Long Beach.
Les Draper is staying in Maloneys to help protect his and his neighbours home. Photo: Elise Searson
“I just know everything will be ok,” says Les Draper who is staying to prepare and defend his and his neighbours home in Maloneys. As long as everything is wet we’ll be ok,” he tells me.
4:50 pm – Rosemary Benn from the Western Distributor got out just in time after being chased by what she describes as a monster coming for her.
“We were watching it [the fire] come at us since last week, then this morning it has come down into the valley, when it came over our hill the trees were exploding, it was red and once we saw flames I just had to go.”
Rosemary is rattled.
“My husband and son are out there with the hoses, the plan is – when the fire comes over they will sit in the brick shed, when the front passes they’ll get out and onto the hoses, I just hope they’re ok. I have no way of contacting them if the wi-fi burns.”
“This fire is going to jump the highway and head to Mogo. Batemans Bay will be surrounded,” Rosemary fears. “This fire is so big, no-one in town has any idea.”
“Forestry has been awesome to work with however there’s a lot of in-house politics running through the government agencies that is stopping them for doing their job, the government is letting this happening to us.”
Emotions are running high and information is circulating at a rapid speed in the affected areas.
Although conditions are mostly being predicted and residents have time to leave, nothing can prepare us when we’re face to face with the front. Stay safe.
To stay up to date with all NSW bushfires, check the NSW RFS website, listen to your local radio station, or call the NSW RFS Bush Fire Information Line on 1800 679 737.
For information on road closures, check Live Traffic NSW.
Use Register.Find.Unite to register, finds and reunite with family, friends and loved ones after an emergency.
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